FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is directed to “active implantable medical devices” as defined by the Jun. 20, 1990 directive 90/385/CEE of the European Communities Council, and more particularly to the family of the devices that deliver to the heart high energy pulses (i.e., pulses having an energy level notably exceeding the energy level provided during simple pacing stimulation) in order to try to terminate a tachyarrhythmia condition. These modes of therapy include a programmed high frequency stimulation mode referred to as “AntiTachycardia Pacing” (“ATP”), but with low level of stimulation energy pulses.[0001]
The devices having an ATP therapy mode are commonly known as “implantable defibrillators” or “implantable cardiovertors.” It should be understood, however, that the invention also is directed to implantable defibrillator/cardiovertor/pacemaker, as well as implantable defibrillator/pacemaker devices.[0002]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe aforementioned devices generally include a pulse generator which is able to monitor the patient's cardiac activity and to generate shock pulses of high energy when the heart presents a ventricular arrhythmia that is deemed suitable to be treated. When the pulse energy lies between 0.1 and approximately 10.0 Joules (J), this therapy is called “cardioversion” and the electric shock delivered is called “cardioversion shock.” When the energy is higher than approximately 10.0 J, the therapy is called defibrillation and the electric shock is then called a “defibrillation shock.”[0003]
Such devices are known in the art, as described, for example, in EP-A-0 626 182 and its corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,060, and EP-A-0 838 235 and its corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,793 (all commonly assigned to the assignee hereof Ela Medical S.A., Montrouge, France).[0004]
A tachyarrhythmia condition as used in this art and herein actually encompasses several different possible cardiac activity situations. These include ventricular fibrillation (VF), ventricular tachycardia (VT), sinusal tachycardia (ST), and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT, which is a tachycardia of atrial origin).[0005]
As soon as a disorder of the ventricular rhythm is recognized by the pulse generator and proven (i.e., is determined to be either ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation in the known manner), as known in the art, the currently available defibrillators generally apply a differentiated therapy, as follows. In the event of an organized ventricular tachycardia, there is first an application of an ATP therapy mode, which is then followed by application of a shock (cardioversion or defibrillation, as may be appropriate) if the ATP stimulation is ineffective. In the event of ventricular fibrillation, the therapy mode is an immediate application of a shock (again cardioversion or defibrillation, as appropriate in the case), which is the only appropriate therapy because the life of the patient is then deemed to be at risk.[0006]
In the first case (organized VT), except for some syncope episodes, the urgency of delivering a shock therapy mode is less than in the case of a VF, especially when the tachycardia is of a relatively low frequency. Certain clinical studies have suggested, however, that these two populations, one treated initially with ATP, the other immediately treated by a shock, present in fact during follow-up study an approximately identical number of delivered shocks. This would seem to suggest that the ATP therapy mode, even if it is effective, nevertheless does not prevent the occurrence of a more serious event requiring a treatment by a shock therapy mode.[0007]
One disadvantage of an immediate treatment with a shock is the pain felt by the patient, and the situation of discomfort in daily life in living in fear of a future shock.[0008]
It also has been suggested by certain studies that many VT conditions could terminate spontaneously, if it were possible to wait. Unfortunately, however, it is generally necessary to treat the patient quickly because these VT conditions are not well supported by the patent.[0009]
It is therefore desirable to provide a device that, in the event of an organized ventricular tachycardia, can apply at least temporarily a therapy mode other than a shock therapy, but which mode would be more effective than the known ATP stimulation therapy.[0010]
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improvement of a medical device of the known type, e.g., a device according to the aforementioned EP-A-0 838 235 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,793, that is an implantable device including what are now known to persons of ordinary skill in the art as conventional means for delivering a defibrillation and/or cardioversion and/or ventricular antitachycardia stimulation therapy mode, means for sensing the cardiac activity, and means for detecting in the sensed activity a ventricular rhythm disorder distinct from a ventricular fibrillation.[0011]
According to the present invention, this device further comprises means for delivering a biventricular stimulation, connected to at least two ventricular sites, one right and one left, such that a biventricular stimulation is triggered in response to the detection of the aforesaid detected ventricular rhythm disorder.[0012]
According to an advantageous subsidiary characteristic of the invention, the means for sensing cardiac activity further operates to detect a ventricular rhythm and the means for detecting a ventricular rhythm disorder comprises (i) means for determining that the detected ventricular rhythm exceeds a threshold, (ii) means for detecting from said ventricular rhythm an episode of a ventricular tachycardia, or (iii) means for determining that the detected ventricular rhythm exceeds the threshold and detecting a ventricular tachycardia episode.[0013]
Another characteristic advantage of the invention concerns including in the device an activity sensor and means for re-synchronizing the stimulation of the left ventricle on a detected right ventricular activity (i.e., a spontaneous right ventricular contraction), the resynchronization means being triggered when the activity sensor indicates: (i) an absence of activity (i.e., the patient is determined to be at rest), and (ii) the ventricular rhythm is higher than a predetermined frequency threshold. The activity sensor may be of any type, preferably an accelerometer or minute ventilation type sensor, or a system that uses more than one such sensor, as such devices are well known in the art for, determining when a patient is in a rest condition or in an activity, i e., non-rest, condition.[0014]
In a preferred embodiment, when triggered, the means for delivering a biventricular stimulation operates with a reduction of the ventricular escape interval (relative to the ventricular escape interval normally applied otherwise).[0015]
In another alternate preferred embodiment, the means for detecting a ventricular rhythm disorder is preferably able, in the event of a persistent detection, to trigger the means for delivering the defibrillation and/or cardioversion and/or ventricular anti-tachycardia stimulation therapy mode, in particular after the passage of a predetermined time of continuous detection of the ventricular rhythm disorder. Persistence also may be determined when a ventricular rhythm disorder is detected in x out of y consecutive intervals.[0016]
More particularly, according to the invention, the device will take an action either as soon as the ventricular rhythm reaches a threshold, for example, 120 bpm; or as soon as a ventricular tachycardia is detected (for example, in the manner described in the EP-A-0 626 182 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,060, and the EP-A-0 838 235 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,793 mentioned above); or, optionally, if one or more activity sensors indicate the absence of patient activity and if the ventricular rhythm remains higher than a threshold, e.g, 120 bpm. Then, on one of the foregoing events, the device will deliver a left ventricular stimulation, synchronous with the right ventricular detection (i.e., a resynchronisation).[0020]